The Caged Bird Sings for No One
by Anamique4
Summary: AU: Ryou is kidnapped by a monster who lives in the woods by his home. Will he ever see his family again? DEATHSHIPPING: Kind of mixture between "Red Riding Hood", "Hansel and Gretel", "Beauty and the Beast". WARNING: Mild shota. Nothing explicit. Review!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Not sure when or where this takes place. Maybe I'll clarify later on. I originally intended it to be a one-shot, but then I realized all the different ways it could go, and well... I didn't want to let go of it yet. ^^' Short though. Not planning for more than 6 or 7 chapters. Enjoy! :D**

**Disclaimer: I own my summer reading books... and I wish I didn't. ... What, Yu-Gi-Oh! ... oh, I don't own that. Sorry. **

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><p>Cold… It was so cold…<p>

Ryou shivered and wrapped his arms tighter around his body. The rags he wore weren't enough to keep out the icy air that whipped through the bars of the cage. He could feel the cold of the metal seeping through his clothes, chilling him to the bone.

How long had he been here? How long since he had seen sunlight? Ryou curled up into a fetal position.

The cage looked like it was meant for some kind of huge bird. It hung from a hook in the stone ceiling, and swayed slightly with every gust of wind that came through the small window at the other end of the room.

Ryou lay there and waited, humming softly to overcome the sound of his rumbling stomach. Now that he thought about it, when _was _the last time he ate? He didn't know. It could have been hours, it could have been days. Time was meaningless in this dark room.

The humming was making him sleepy. He drifted into a kind of dream state…

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><p>"<em>Bakura!" Ryou called behind him. "Hurry up! Amane will be waiting at home!" <em>

_Ryou and Bakura often went and played in the forest, along with Amane, their sister. It was their favorite place to go. The tall, mysterious trees provided them with shade from the hot sun. The branches were a roof over their heads that shielded them from the rain. The bushes offered them an endless supply of berries to eat, and the streams all ran with clear, pure water. Their home lay just on the edge of the woods, and almost every day they would eat breakfast, then quickly run off to play._

_And yet, their mother always warned them before they left the house: "Keep on the path, darlings! The monster who lives in the forest loves to capture people who stray and keep them as pets, especially little children like yourselves." Then she would give them a mischievous smile, kiss them on the cheek, and send them off with a wave. The Touzouku children always believed she was simply teasing them as an attempt to get them to be careful. _

_On this particular evening, the two brothers had gone out into the forest to pick wildflowers for their sister's birthday. Amane loved the flowers that bloomed in the forest more than any that grew in their mother's garden. She believed that they grew so beautiful because of the fairies that danced on them every night by the light of the moon. Bakura always ridiculed the littlest Touzouku for this, saying that if fairies really _did _exist, than they sure wouldn't pick the crummy weeds that grew in their forest to dance on. Amane would then burst into tears, leaving Ryou, the more sensitive of the brothers, to comfort her. _

_But today was a special day. Amane was turning seven, and Bakura, despite his scorn of their sister's fantasies, had agreed to help Ryou gather the flowers for their kitchen table. _

_Ryou, though he would never admit it out loud, was decidedly effeminate, and knew all the best places to pick flowers. Bakura trudged after him on the path, falling more and more behind with every spot they stopped by. _

_As they went along, Ryou sang a song about the monster that his mother had taught him long ago. It was a pretty little tune, and he sang it often when he was happy or sad, depending. _

"_Night falls and all is still.  
>The world outside sleeps…<br>The forest awakens-  
>The darkness inside, something keeps."<em>

_Ryou bent over a patch of particularly bright flowers, and, sniffing them delicately, began to pull a few out for his bouquet. Ryou's voice was high and sweet, and it carried high above to the trees. A pair of gleaming eyes watched the boy from overhead, listening to him sing. _

"_He keeps to the shadows  
>Few know his name.<br>He walks the paths unbidden-  
>He plays his wicked game." <em>

_Bakura was coming up the hill behind, panting slightly. _

"_Damn it, Ryou! Slow down! It's not like Amane's going to have another birthday by the time we-" Suddenly he stopped dead in his tracks, eyes wide. Ryou didn't notice that he stopped talking; he was more concerned with picking some purple flowers to add to the colors of the bouquet. He started the next verse._

"_Be wary children!  
>Don't stay out too late…" <em>

"_RYOU WATCH OUT!" Bakura was running towards him, panic and terror flashing across his face. Ryou turned to look at him, pausing in his song. _

"_Bakura, what-?"he began, confused, but Bakura interrupted him._

"_BEHIND YOU!" _

_Ryou turned around- and screamed. _

_Tall, looming…_

_Dark clothes…_

_Violet eyes… Demon's eyes… _

_The monster smiled, showing off its sharp teeth. It stepped towards Ryou. Ryou floundered backwards, falling to the ground. He stared up at the monster in horror, another scream threatening to come out of his throat. It knelt before him, and, reaching out one hand, stroked Ryou's long white hair._

"_Why did you stop singing, pet? It was so lovely…" _

_The last thing Ryou heard was the sound of Bakura's anguished scream, as he was too late to save his brother. _

_And everything… everything… everything went black._

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><p>Ryou jerked himself out of his reminiscence. He heard footsteps in the corridor outside the room. He straightened up just before the door opened and his captor walked into the room.<p>

Mariku, as he had said his name was, looked like a man, but Ryou knew he wasn't human. His violet eyes were pupil-less, and glittered with a kind of animalistic nature that scared Ryou to no end. His fair hair stood up in wild spikes that seemed to want to get as far away from his head as possible. He had bronzed skin that seemed odd, seeing as he spent most of his time under the shade of the trees. But what frightened Ryou most was the creature's horribly psychotic grin. Like he was giving Ryou now.

"Miss me, pet?"

Ryou shivered at the words and wrapped his arms around his knees.

"Aw, still not talking? I thought you'd be tired of this silly game by now." Mariku purred, bringing his face up close to Ryou's cage. Ryou whimpered a little and scooted as far back as he could against the bars.

"Won't you sing for me? Pretty please? …Sing for me, snowbird."

Ryou shook his head frantically. Mariku gave a loud sigh.

"You're not leaving any time soon. Wouldn't singing make you feel better?"

Ryou buried his face into his knees and said nothing. After a moment he heard Mariku leave the room, closing the door behind him. Without looking up, Ryou began to sob quietly.

It was true. He was never going to get out of here. He was in the lair of the monster, and no one could save him. Not his sister, not his mother, not his brother… He would never see them again.

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><p><strong>Hmmm... I like Deathshipping more and more every time I write it. Oh btw, Ryou and Bakura... they're not that young, I'm thinking. Probably like 13 or 14. (And Bakura's a year older than Ryou.) But this fic definitely won't be explicit, so I'm not too worried about the shota implications and whatnot. <strong>

**Their romance... think Beauty and the Beast! (My fave movie, like, ever...) **

**Review? It would boost my confidence immensely. XD**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Wow! ^^ Thanks so much for the warm reception for Ch.1 of this story! You guys are amazing. (Btw, I ADORE continuous reviewers. If you review more than 1 chapter of my fics, I usually will check out YOUR guys' stories as well, and REVIEW THEM! Fantabulous, I knows.)**

**So... I had an awesome time out of state, visiting family for the holiday, going to parades, eating patriotic desserts, getting yelled at by drunk guys saying "U-S-A! U-S-A!"... I love my country. lol... ^^ Hope everyone had a happy 4th of July, even if you're not American!**

**But I COULD NOT go this long without writing, especially for this story. (RTS update will be soon also.) I brought a notebook along on the 6-hour car ride and wrote o some of this chapter out by HAND. Ugh. So hard to use pen and paper when you're used to Word. Appreciate my use of primitive tools, readers! XD**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!- Kazuki Takahashi does. Or did he sell it along with the rest of his dignity when ZEXAL started...? :P**

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><p>After crying, Ryou supposed he must have fallen back asleep, because the next thing he knew, he was waking up… to the smell of chocolate. Ryou opened his eyes. Mariku stood there, his hand through the bars of the cage, waving a cookie tantalizingly in front of Ryou's face. When he saw Ryou was awake, Mariku grinned.<p>

"Sweets for the sweet," he said, holding it out to the whitette. Unconsciously, Ryou sat up and reached out for the cookie, his stomach growling once again. _Food… _But as he did, Mariku withdrew his hand, tittering loudly.

"No no no…" he chided, violet eyes flashing with amusement. Ryou gave an involuntary whimper. "Treats only go to good little pets who will talk to their masters."

Ryou looked down, twisting his hands in his lap and biting his lip. To him, remaining silent in the presence of this monster… he was clinging to his last shred of dignity. He had already been kidnapped, torn away from his family, stuck in a bird cage, and essentially starved for the past couple days. And now… it looked like his fate was to be the pet of this sick, twisted demon. Singing for its enjoyment. It was a horrible prospect, and Ryou was reluctant to part with his remaining autonomy. But what was more important- self-respect or his wellbeing?

Ryou contemplated this question for a few minutes. _I don't want to die. Even if I have nothing to live for… I want to live. _He looked up at Mariku, who was standing there patiently, a small smirk curling his lips. Ryou cleared his throat.

"I-I'll t-talk…" he whispered. He winced slightly, both at the weak-sounding stutter and from the hoarseness of not having used his voice for so long. Ryou clutched his neck and tried to massage his sore throat.

Mariku's smile widened, and his long tongue poked out to run along his sharp teeth, making Ryou shudder, but he didn't seem to notice the boy's discomfort.

"Now was that so hard, snowbird?" he cooed, surrendering the cookie to Ryou. Ryou took it from his hand slowly, despite his now unbearable hunger, and looked at it warily.

"Oh, it's not spiked with anything. At least I don't think so… I stole it from some passing travelers in the woods. In fact…" He picked up a small basket from where it lay at his feet. "I have their entire picnic lunch!" **(1)** Mariku grinned and rummaged around in the basket, pulling out a sandwich. Stripping it of bread, vegetables, and condiments, he stuffed the meat into his mouth and chewed it slowly, letting out little sounds of content.

Ryou stared at him longingly. He had finished the cookie quickly, and was still extremely hungry. Surely… Surely…

"Um… Excuse me?" he managed to squeak out. Mariku turned his disconcerting pupil-less eyes onto Ryou. Ryou swallowed. "Ah- could I… have s-some more f-food, please?"

Mariku's eyes narrowed, and he looked at Ryou for a few long moments, face giving away nothing. Ryou fidgeted under his un-blinking gaze. Had he said something wrong?

"You can have food… when I _offer _it to you," the monster said, each word slow and deliberate. Ryou ducked his head.

"I-I'm s-sorry," he said softly, ducking his head as he felt his cheeks burning. _Stupid stutter…_

Mariku's gaze softened slightly. He ran a hand through his unruly mass of blond spikes.

"_But_," he continued. Ryou perked up. "Because you've been so good today, snowbird, you can have some more to eat." He handed Ryou a thermos of iced tea and a peach from the basket.

"Th-thank you!" Ryou choked out, not caring that he stuttered yet again. He rapidly chugged down the iced tea, feeling the gratifying effects on his sore throat. Then he started on the peach, taking his time now, relishing the sweetness of the fruit. After a minute, he realized that Mariku was staring at him again.

"I-is something wrong?" he asked, unnerved.

"… Come here."

Ryou hesitantly crept forward in the cage until he was close where Mariku stood. His captor studied him for a moment longer before licking his thumb and, reaching his hand through the bars, swiping it over Ryou's chin.

Ryou drew back in fright as the monster then sucked on the thumb, licking it clean. When he caught sight of Ryou's face, Mariku chuckled.

"You had some peach juice on your chin," he said as way of explanation. Ryou self-consciously rubbed his mouth on his sleeve. _Didn't that basket have any napkins?_

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><p>Bakura sat on the front steps of the Touzouku family cottage. Head in one hand, the other hand held a long stick with which he scratched something into the dirt. He was muttering quietly to himself. He didn't pause what he was doing, even when he felt someone come up behind him.<p>

"Bakura, sweetie, why don't you come inside? It's… it's almost time for dinner." Mrs. Touzouku's voice was cautious. Bakura felt her place a timid hand onto his shoulder. Angrily, he shook it off.

"Do you think _Ryou _will be eating where he is?" he snarled, turning to look up at his mother. The woman wrung her hands under her son's heated gaze. He turned his face back to what he was drawing on the ground. "That's what I thought."

Mrs. Touzouku sighed, attempting to steady her breathing. She knelt behind him.

"Oh my darling… I know you miss your brother. But starving yourself isn't going to do anything! Bakura..." she said gently, threading his long white hair through her fingers rhythmically. "It wasn't your fault." She jerked back in surprise as her son stood up suddenly.

"Of course it wasn't my fault! It's _your _fault, mother!" he said furiously. Mrs. Touzouku looked at him, bright green eyes wide and welling with tears.

"You don't mean that-"

"YES I DO! You… that stupid legend… You never said it was fucking TRUE!" he screamed at her, letting out all of the tension and fear that built up over the past few days.

"I didn't know!" Mrs. Touzouku stood up slowly. "It was just a story… My mother told it to me, and her mother before her… Just- just a story…" She trailed off and began to braid her long black hair, as she always did when she was upset. "Oh my poor little Ryou..." Tears ran down her face, and she broke down completely, shaking with silent sobs.

Bakura looked at her, breathing heavily, trying to calm down. He knew it wasn't his mother's fault, not really. But… he needed someone to blame. He turned around and stalked off to his favorite place, a tall oak tree in the middle of the yard. He scrambled quickly up the bark, climbing until he reached one of the middle branches.

Bakura leaned against the trunk, his respirations gradually returning to normal. He looked down at his hands. He had unintentionally curled them into tight fists. Painstakingly, Bakura unclenched his hands and let them slide to his sides, where they hung there limply.

He gazed out at the cottage below him. Mrs. Touzouku had gone back inside. _That was selfish of you… _

"Shut up brain," he grumbled to himself. _Well it was. It was _you _who didn't reach him in time, not her. _

"I said shut UP!" he growled loudly. His conscience went back to muttering little guilty thoughts in a part of his head where he didn't hear them.

Ryou… Bakura gritted his teeth as he felt a tear streak down his face. No!

"Bakura Touzouku does NOT fucking cry!" he said angrily, wiping away the tear on his sleeve, and becoming even more irritated as the tears continued to fall. Letting go, he buried his face into his hands and wept bitterly.

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><p>Amane remained where she was, perched on a branch high above Bakura.<p>

"Big brother…" she whispered, sympathy tearing at her heart. Bakura, the strong sibling, the one who took charge when their father had died, who never showed any hint of indecision or remorse… Bakura was crying. She had never seen her brother look so fragile.

If Ryou were here… Ryou would know what to do. Ryou was the brother she loved the best, the one who always held her when she was scared, calmed Bakura down when he got too angry, who listened to her and understood her dreams. Without him here… she knew the family was falling apart. Although Amane was only seven years old, she wasn't completely naïve.

She wondered if Ryou was okay. All anyone would tell her was that Ryou had been taken away by someone… or something. Bakura had come home in a kind of daze that day…

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><p>"<em>Big brother!" Amane cried happily, running up the path to meet Bakura. She leaped onto him, tackling the older Touzouku to the ground. "I was beginning to think you would<em> never _get home! Where're the flowers you were getting for me?" Then she looked at the path behind them that led into the winding forest. "Bakura… where's Ryou?" _

_Bakura shoved Amane off him unceremoniously and stood back up, walking to the door of their cottage. He didn't even glance at her once. _

"_Hey!" she cried indignantly, running after him and grabbing a hold of his arm. "I'm the birthday-girl! That means you gotta be extra nice to me and answer allllllllll my questions!"_

_He whirled around, and, crimson eyes flashing dangerously, threw her hands off him. Still not speaking a word, he turned back around and strode inside the house. _

_Amane stood there in the doorway, staring after him in confusion. From inside the house, she heard Bakura speaking in a low murmur to their mother. Then- her mother's shriek and a moment later, heart-wrenching sobs. _

_She walked cautiously inside the house to find Bakura standing in a corner, his back to the room, and their mother hunched over the kitchen table, shaking and moaning. Amane crept over to her._

"_Mommy?" she asked, tugging on the woman's sleeve. "What's wrong, Mommy? Where's Ryou?" Her mother just shook harder. _

"_Where's Ryou, Mommy? Where is he? Where's big brother?"_

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><p>Bakura suddenly let out a loud growl from he sat below her. Amane started, almost falling off the branch. His face was tear-stained, and his eyes were redder than usual, puffy from crying. He wore a determined expression on his face as he stood up, both feet on the branch. Amane gasped audibly, covering her mouth. But Bakura didn't fall. He remained completely balanced, never wobbling in his stance.<p>

"Ryou… Ryou!" he said, words growing gradually louder until he was shouting at the top of his lungs. "RYOU! I SWEAR TO GOD **(2**), I WILL SAVE YOU!

Amane gazed down at him, standing so resolute and purposeful. _And I'm coming with you big brother…_

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><p><strong>... *head-desk* I don't <em>especially <em>like this chapter. I like the flash-back scene, and Bakura's little mental breakdowns, but... Meh. Positive reviews would make me feel like a million bucks. Seriously. The main purpose of this chapter was to advance Ryou to the point where he would talk. Everything else just kind of fell into place. :]**

**(1)- Mariku is the Yogi Bear of Yu-Gi-Oh! XD  
>(2)- The only reason I used "God" is cause it sounded dramatic-ish in my head. I usually use "Ra". I know Christianity isn't particularly popular in Japan... : Anyone have a real problem with it? Tell me, and I WILL change it. **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: And out of the ashes of a "meh." chapter comes a chapter I actually like! ^^' Seriously, I'm sufficiently pleased with everything but the very end of this one. Also... IT. SO. LONG. *eye twitch***

**So yea, someone commented on Mariku eating meat in the last chapter. I know he's a vegetarian, but I felt it fits his character better in this fic. **

**Also, people seemed to really like Amane and Bakura. THEY GET A LOT OF LOVE IN THIS CHAPTER. JUST SAYIN'. **

**WARNING: Mild shota. Nothing explicit... Now that I think about it though, I should probably add this warning to the story summary... **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my pride for writing this whole thing in one sitting. :D**

**EDITED EDITED EDITED AS OF 8/6/11: Changed ages AGAIN, of Bakura and Ryou. Sorry guys, I'll post the new ages at the beginning of next chapter as well, but it's not that much a difference. Just one year. *is stoned* I said SORRY, JEEZ! **

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><p>Bakura shouldered his pack and crept quietly down the hallway. He peered into his mother's room, but she wasn't there. Not that he'd really expected her to be in her own bed… Sighing, he pushed open the door to Ryou's room.<p>

Bakura swallowed the lump that had risen in his throat at the sight. Nothing had been moved since the day his brother had been taken. A cozy armchair, littered with an array of books, was next to the window. A pine-nut dresser stood in the corner, on which stood a few small knick-knacks, a hairbrush, and a little carving of a wolf that their father had made Ryou for his fifth birthday.

In the middle of the room was a small bed, covered with a blue-and-white spread. And on the bed… Mrs. Touzouku lay curled up, fast asleep. Her face was buried into Ryou's pillow, and she clutched his old, stuffed rabbit tightly to her chest, as though it were her last lifeline. Bakura edged over to her and carefully laid a note beside her head on the pillow.

He stared at her for a few moments, an uncomfortable twinge in his chest. _This could be the last time you ever see her… _He gritted his teeth at his conscience's reentrance into his thoughts. Couldn't that thing just leave him alone for ten minutes? …But it was right.

Slowly, he stretched out his hand and stroked her head. The paleness of his skin contrasted with her raven-black hair. His mother seemed to lean into his touch, and she shifted enough so he could see her face. Tear-tracks showed where her makeup had run, and her eyes were still closed, but she was smiling. It was a slight smile, but it was there.

"Sanosuke…**(1)**" she murmured. Bakura's heart skipped a beat. He never heard their father's first name anymore. Not since he had died almost six years ago. She must be really deep in sleep to think her husband was still alive and comforting her. He backed away until he reached the doorway.

Bakura took one last look around at the room. On a whim, he went and grabbed the wolf carving off the dresser and stuck it into his pack. If, no… _when_ he found Ryou, his little brother would probably want it.

He turned and walked down the hall once more, opening the front door and stepping outside. Quietly closing the front door, he turned to face the world ahead of him. It was just dawn, and the sun was starting to tinge the sky orange. Not looking back at the cottage, he set off down the path. But perhaps he should have looked back…

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><p>They were several miles into the forest before Bakura realized he was being followed. Every time he turned around to try and catch the person however, they would hide behind a tree alongside the path. So they wanted to play, did they?<p>

He continued to walk along casually for a few more minutes before breaking into a sudden dash. Running far up ahead, he hid behind his own tree, and waited for his follower to appear. He didn't have long to wait. The sound of pounding feet and panting soon reached his ears. When it stopped in front of his tree, he quickly popped out from behind it and grabbed…

"_Amane_?" Bakura felt like punching himself. He, the great Bakura Touzouku, had been followed for miles through the forest by his seven-year-old sister? So much for his renowned skills and expertise…

Amane looked up at him, her bottom lip set in a firm pout.

"I'm coming with you, big brother. I'm helping you find Ryou."

Bakura let out a disbelieving bark of laughter.

"Like hell you're coming with me! You think I need some little kid slowing me down?"

Amane smiled slyly, a smile Bakura didn't like. Where had she learned that? _Probably from you… _

"Well I can't go back alone! And you can't go back with me. We're already over an hour into the forest. Do you really want to waste that time?" she asked, triumph glinting in her brown eyes.

Bakura snarled. She was right… _Damn kid's getting too smart for her own good._ He let go of her, and started to walk again.

"Fine, you can come… if you can keep up."

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><p>"Wh-what?" Ryou stammered, eyes wide. Mariku grinned at him, unsuppressed glee written all across his face.<p>

"I told you, snowbird, it's time for your bath."

"I heard you…" Ryou said, blushing furiously. "It's just… just…"

"Just what?" Mariku asked, mock innocence in his voice.

"Just…" Ryou swallowed, then burst out, "…just _no_!"

Mariku scowled.

"'No' isn't an option, I'm afraid." He unlocked the cage with a set of huge, metal keys. Ryou, terrified, pushed himself as far against the back of the cage as he could. Eyes clenched tightly shut, he whimpered as he felt a pair of muscular arms wrapping themselves around his waist.

"No no no no no no no…" he wailed, gripping the bars behind him. He heard Mariku growl in annoyance, and then strong fingers pried his hands away from the poles. One more yank and he was out of the cage.

"Let me go, let me go, let me go-" Ryou shrieked, writhing and kicking at the monster that held him in his arms bridal-style. He cried out in pain as Mariku slapped him across the face. Cheek stinging, he turned his head up to look at him.

"Finished?" Mariku asked, irritation flashing in violet eyes. Ryou nodded slowly. "Good." He walked out of the room, still carrying Ryou in his arms.

They moved through countless stone passageways and chambers. Ryou took it all in, not wanting to look at Mariku and having nothing else to do. Where on earth _was_ this place? It seemed almost to be underground, but there had been a window in Ryou's room, and light and air had passed through it.

Finally they reached their destination: a door at the end of a particularly long hall. Mariku opened it and stepped into the largest bathroom Ryou had seen in his entire life. It was stone, just like everything else, but it seemed elegant somehow. There were towering pillars with grand designs in every corner, reaching up to the high ceiling. In the center of the floor was a great carved hole. It didn't seem to go deeper than five feet, but it was long enough to fit ten men shoulder to shoulder.

Ryou let out a startled squeak as Mariku set him on his feet. He stumbled forward a little, legs half-asleep from being carried for so long. He was going to bathe _here_? Back at home, their tub was just big enough to fit him sitting with his legs spread out. This…

"Well? Take your clothes off, pet!" an impatient voice said from behind him. Ryou reddened as he turned to face Mariku. The man stood there, arms folded across his chest, looking slightly peeved.

"Um…" Ryou whispered, chocolate eyes pleading, "C-could you… turn around?"

"Whatever for?"

"I…" Ryou began to scuffle his bare feet embarrassedly. "I don't want…"

Mariku's eye twitched. Mouth twisting into a livid snarl, he stormed over to Ryou, who cringed.

Grabbing hold of his wrists in one hand, he held them above Ryou's head. With the other hand, he roughly pulled Ryou's shirt over his head, and threw it on the ground next to them. Ryou, only half-clothed now, wrapped his arms around his torso and stood there shivering.

"Now, are you done complaining, or do you want me to do the rest as well?"

Ryou shook his head furtively, and without a word, undid his trousers and, pulling them off, deposited them with his shirt. Then he paused. All that was left were his boxers…

"Take them off, pet."

Crying on the inside, Ryou pulled them down and put them with the rest of his clothes. He turned to face Mariku, who had been staring at him with an odd expression on his face. Sorrow? Awe? …Hunger? Whatever it was, it made Ryou nervous. Mariku looked at him for a few moments longer, before turning on his heel and walking back out of the room.

"I'll be back," was the only thing he said as he closed the door behind him. Ryou heard him lock it.

Letting out a shaky sigh, he turned back to the bath. Well, if he was here, he might as well… Going over to the side of the bath, he found a faucet. Giving it a twist, water came roaring out and quickly filled the entire bath. Ryou put a finger in to test it. It was lukewarm, which was better than nothing he supposed. He had almost hoped for a steamy bath, cold as he was, but seeing as this was most likely spring water, he was just glad it wasn't icy. In an alcove on the other side of the room he found a small bar of soap and a bottle of sweet-smelling liquid that he guessed was shampoo of some kind.

Ryou walked slowly down the carved stone steps into the bath. As it reached his neck, he let out a long, contented sigh. It had been days since he had been clean, and he had to admit, it felt nice to submerge his aching body in water. Stretching luxuriously, as a cat might, he swam a lap around the bath as a kindness to his aching muscles. Then he sat down on one of steps and began to wash himself.

* * *

><p>Mariku sat on the floor outside the bathroom, back against the door. He could hear the boy inside, splashing the water of the bath. As he closed his eyes wearily, Mariku heard him give a small, childlike giggle.<p>

He felt a growl building in his chest. Why hadn't his pet laughed for _him_ yet? All he had done was whimper, cry, and cower in fear before him. And while that was all well and good, (he _did_ enjoy the terror his presence inspired), Mariku wanted… more.

He wanted enjoyment, amusement, something to entertain him. He wanted this boy to talk and laugh and _sing _for him. Other people came and went through his forest, but they were mere appetizers to fill the endless time he had. So when he had found this boy one day…

* * *

><p>"<em>I'll be the queen! Bakura can be my husband, the king of the forest! And Ryou… Ryou can be our court jester!" a high-pitched little girl's voice shrieked, piercing the usual silence of the forest with its sound. <em>

_Mariku winced slightly from where he crouched, high above in the trees. More visitors? And children, that was new… Most children wouldn't dare venture out into the forest by themselves. He smirked. This would be fun. _

_Mariku crept along the tree branch until he came right above the children's heads. There were three. A boy, and what seemed to be two girls. _

"_No way! I'm not going to pretend to be married to you!" the boy said irritably. He seemed to be about fourteen, with long white hair which seemed to rise unbidden above his head. Two pieces of hair in particular seemed to stick out, sticking up on either side of his head like white bat wings. _

"Pleeeease_, big brother!" the little girl pleaded, bouncing up and down. She had strange, sapphire-blue hair**(2) **which hung down just past her shoulders, and she looked to be about six. "Ryou, make him!" she said, turning to the other child. _

"_Why don't you make _Ryou_ be your husband, huh?" Bakura asked, crossing his arms over his chest stubbornly. "He's a boy too!" _

_Mariku looked with new interest at the third child. Now that he thought about it, "Ryou", though effeminate, had a boy's lean body and stance. Another male then… But this boy was beautiful, smooth where his brother was sharp. Long white hair lay flat on his head, and soft, chocolate brown eyes differed from his brother's dangerous crimson. _

"_Bakura doesn't have to be your husband if he doesn't want to, Amane," the boy said softly. Mariku almost fell off the branch. Ryou had the voice of an angel! It was higher-pitched than that of his brother's, and sweet. It spoke of long days under the trees, hushed whispers under cover of darkness, glittering stars shining their cold light down upon the world, running through a meadow of violets, flying across the sky without a care in the world… freedom. He sounded like freedom. And Mariku wanted it… He _wanted_ it. He wanted the purity, the raw innocence. He wanted it stuffed into his mouth. He wanted to tear it open, and feel it sliding down his throat. He wanted to clutch it to his chest and never let it go. He wanted to listen to that voice forever and ever, until the sun burned out and the world froze over._

"_But-"Amane began, her face falling, and a pout forming on her lips. Mariku scowled. Let Ryou speak again, you little brat!_

_Ryou held up a hand to Amane and she fell silent. He turned to Bakura, who was still standing there, sulking. _

"_Bakura doesn't have to be the _king_ of the forest, Amane." The boy's voice was crafty, and Mariku could hear the smile in his voice. He grinned to himself. Not only was the boy striking, but he had wit too. He knew his brother's weakness. "I guess I _will_ have to step in and take control of everything in the kingdom. It sure is a lot of influence though… I don't know if I'll be able to handle it all." Bakura's eyes popped open. _

"_Oh no you don't, Ryou! You could never handle the absolute power that comes with being king of the forest! Only _I _could rule over this realm with the control and dominance needed to keep the people satisfied." Pride. _

_Amane clapped her hands delightedly._

"_Hooray! Now come with me, my king," she said, adopting a grand and lofty tone. "Come and sit, and we will listen to the lovely music delivered to us by Court Jester Ryou." She grabbed Bakura's hand and dragged him to two nearby stumps, where they sat, her in excitement, Bakura with a grudging expression on his face. _

_Ryou smiled, and, bowing before his siblings, began to sing. _

"_Ashes to ashes,  
>Dusk to dawn.<br>Cloudy skies,  
>A world is drawn.<em>

_Happiness is a fickle thing-  
>Who knows when it'll stay?<br>Sadness, though, is a more loyal passion.  
>It clings to us the entire day.<em>

_However, if there's one thing  
>To be learned from this song;<br>It's that light can be found in the darkest of places.  
>That's all it takes to be strong."<em>

_Ryou bowed once more as his song ended. Amane cheered, and even Bakura looked marginally impressed. Mariku however, simply stared, enthralled. If he had thought the boy's voice had been wonderful before, it was doubled now. When he sang, Ryou shone with a kind of magic unlike he had ever seen. He was like a little bird. A perfect little bird. And with that white hair… Snowbird. _

_Mariku vowed that one day, not today, he would steal the boy for himself. Ryou would sing for him and him alone._

* * *

><p>And so he had. Ryou had come back to the forest plenty of times to play in the forest. But something had always stopped him from taking the boy. For one thing, he was always with his annoying siblings. And another… he was so young. Only thirteen when he had first seen the boy, and that seemed to be cruel, even for him, to take the boy away from his family when he was still nothing more than a child. So he had bided his time, just watching, waiting for the right time.<p>

And it had finally paid off. Ryou, now fourteen, had come into the forest, separating himself from his brother. It was too easy. He was picking flowers, and _singing_. Mariku had swept down from the trees and whisked the boy away. The brother was too late.

And now… to make Ryou his, he had refrained from calling him by his name. Only "pet", or "snowbird". He had left him alone for a while, knowing the boy needed time to adjust. And for a couple days, Ryou had even refused to speak! That had almost killed Mariku, knowing that he had that lovely voice in his grasp, but it couldn't even be heard. But then Ryou had spoken, and he began to breathe again.

Today, he had wanted to do something nice for his pet. He knew Ryou would probably like to be clean once again, so he had decided the boy would be allowed out of his cage for a bath. And how did that brat repay him? By crying and screaming, struggling even! Mariku scowled.

Once they were in the bathroom, he had refused to even take off his clothes. Mariku had had to literally half-strip the boy himself. When Ryou had finally gotten completely undressed, well… He had had to leave. Pale and perfect, the slight rise and fall of the boy's chest; it gave Mariku an unfamiliar feeling in the pit of his stomach.

And that brought him to where he was now- outside the bathroom, listening at the door like some kind of snake. He stood up, brushing himself off and giving his cape a twirl for good measure. Mariku squelched the strange feeling that had risen up inside of him. Ryou was his now. He wouldn't let anything this ruin for him.

* * *

><p><strong>So yea... that flashback took place a year ago. I decided to move ages around a bit. Please read below. <strong>

**THEN- Bakura: 14  
>Amane: 6<br>Ryou: 13**

**NOW- Bakura: 15  
>Amane: 7<br>Ryou: 14**

**If it seems weird that they're all playing together at these ages, well... They live in the middle of frickin' nowhere. Bakura has nowhere else to go. Ryou... would have played with Amane anyways. **

**(1)- IRONY. The name means, "survivor", and "a fighter" apparently... And he's dead. ...IT SEEMED FUNNY AT THE TIME. X( *is shot***

**(2)- Ryou's father was shown having that weird-as-hell blue hair in teh anime. Thought it seemed appropriate to give ONE of his children the same trait. **

**So anyways... Please REVIEW! I love you guys so much. Thanks for the warm welcome this story has gotten so far! :]**

**ALSO: I have an ending in mind! Hooray for me for planning ahead! XD**

**ALSO ALSO: Look at this picture I found! (take the spaces out) http:/ fuck yeah yugioh. / page/ 25 It's Ryou and Bakura! THIS PICTURE LOOKS JUST LIKE MY STORY. In fact, this is kind of what the ending looks like in my head, *Spoilers!* :P**


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